The Long, Cold Night
by Ster J
Summary: McCoy needs Spock’s help to treat Sarek, but it is Uhura who answers the door.


Title: The Long, Cold Night

Author: Ster Julie

Codes: Trek Movie '09, S/U, Mc, Sa

Rating: PG

Part 1 of 1

Summary: McCoy needs Spock's help to treat Sarek, but it is Uhura who answers the door.

Disclaimer: I own nothing remotely related to Trek, well, except for one tribble from Las Vegas. I just borrowed these characters for a few moments.

A/N: Thank you to my wonderful beta, J. Rosemary Ross. All remaining errors are mine.

Vulcan words from the Vulcan Language Dictionary at http: www. starbase- 10. de /vld/

--ooOoo--

There was the briefest tone of the door signal. Uhura eased her way off Spock's bed, placing a spare pillow into his empty arms before tiptoeing to the door. It was Doctor McCoy.

"Spock, I … " he began before Uhura's hand covered his mouth. She stepped out into the corridor with McCoy, allowing the doors to close behind them.

"Spock just fell asleep, Doctor," she explained. "Can it wait?"

McCoy took in the large damp spot on the shoulder of Uhura's uniform. "He cried himself to sleep?" McCoy whispered. Uhura looked up and down the corridor, then nodded. The doctor shook his head. "Poor kid," he murmured. "Look, I hate to wake him, but something is wrong with his dad and I could use some help."

Uhura closed her eyes. She had already heard of over one hundred suicides amongst the remaining Vulcans. Surely Sarek …

Without a word, Uhura re-entered Spock's quarters. She wet a washcloth in the tiny lav and moved to his side. She caressed his head and cheek and called softly, "Spock? Spock? I'm sorry, my love, but I need you to wake up."

Spock raised grainy, puffy eyes to his Nyota's face.

"Sarek needs you, Spock," she continued. "You have to wake up and help Doctor McCoy."

Spock opened his eyes wide and sat up quickly. Uhura began wiping his face gently, but he soon took the cloth from her and scrubbed more vigorously, as if chasing away the cobwebs from his mind as well as any remaining trace of his earlier weakness.

Uhura gave his hair a quick brush as Spock smoothed his uniform. He grabbed her hand and the two followed McCoy out of the room.

-

"We were conducting a wellness check on our Vulcan guests," McCoy began without preamble. "You're father seemed unresponsive, almost catatonic. I wasn't sure if he was in trouble or in some meditative trance. I thought it best to call you. I just want to be sure that he wasn't planning to become the latest casualty."

That last statement caused Spock to quicken his pace. In his experience, such bluntness was uncharacteristic of humans, but he could not fault the doctor for coming straight to the point.

McCoy used his medical override to open the door to Sarek's quarters. Spock moved to his father's side and knelt by the bed, noting his open, unseeing eyes.

"Father?" he said tentatively. There was no response. He placed his hands on Sarek's face. "_Sa-mekh_?" he called.

Still no response. Spock slipped his mind into the lightest of melds with Sarek. Spock gasped at the depth of the darkness he felt there, at the ever-deepening spiral that was pulling them into the abyss. Spock had to pull his father back before they both fell into the pit.

"Father!" he called frantically. "_Sa-mekh_! No! Don't go, please don't go. Our people need you. I need you. Father! _Sa-mekh! SA-SA!"_

Sarek felt as if he was moving through gelatin. The warm darkness called to him, but now another voice beckoned. No, more than beckoned. The voice cajoled, pleaded, begged for him to return the cold world of emptiness and pain. No! That place held nothing for him but death and excruciating loneliness.

Sarek felt hands clutching his shoulders. He opened his eyes to see his beloved's dark eyes looming above him. His soul moved and he smiled gently. He raised his hand to caress a beloved cheek.

"_Qual se tu?"_ Sarek whispered.

Tears pooled in Spock's eyes. "_Ha, Sa-mehk_," he said with relief. "It is I. It is _Spohkh_, you son who cherishes you."

"_Spohkh, Sa-fu?"_

Sarek breathed. He sat up and looked around in confusion. "Your mother … She was here."

Spock shook his head sadly. "No, _Sa-mekh_. She is gone."

Sarek took his son's face in his hands. "She is here," Sarek insisted. "She is. I see her every time I look into your eyes."

Spock ducked his head. "_Sa-mehkh_ … "

"_Rai, Sa-fu_," Sarek chided gently. "Do not hide your grief from me. We mourn together."

The elder Vulcan moved over and pulled his son to his side. Spock embraced his father gently.

"I nearly lost you," Spock accused. "Please don't leave me, _Sa-mehkh_. I have already lost so much."

Sarek returned his son's embrace. "It was not my intention, _Sa-fu_," he admitted, "but this cold, lonely night was too much for me. How did you bear it?"

Spock turned to find McCoy and Uhura slipping quietly from the room. "Nyota," he called, beckoning her forward. "Nyota helped me through the night," he declared.

Sarek raised both eyebrows in response.

McCoy caught himself from snickering at that scene, remembering just how Spock had spent that "long, cold, empty night. Uhura's damp uniform bore witness to Spock's mourning.

"Indeed," Sarek said noncommittally. He would have to stop thinking of his son as an adolescent. Spock was now an adult obviously doing adult things.

Sarek turned to Uhura. "Thank you for … assisting Spock, ... _ko-fu_."

Spock raised a surprised brow at his father's choice of word. By calling Uhura "daughter," Sarek was telling Spock that he acknowledged the intimate relationship his son obviously shared with the woman, and, in case Spock planned to take the relationship further, that he tacitly approved of her and even gave his blessing.

Uhura didn't miss the exchange between father and son, just as she understood the meaning of ko-fu and why Sarek used it. Her cheeks were red when she bowed her head and said, "It was the least I could do."

McCoy broke the mood with a clap of his hands and a bounce on his toes. "So, how are you feeling now, Mr. Sarek?" the doctor asked.

The older man sighed. "My health is adequate," he replied. "I am merely fatigued."

McCoy nodded. "Well, then, my prescription for you is sleep." The doctor gave Spock a quick diagnostic glance and added, "for both of you." He took Uhura's arm and ushered her from the room. "Call if you need anything," he said as they left.

Sarek reclined on the bed once more, tucking his son against his side. Spock remembered back to his childhood when Sarek would allow him to sleep curled against him like this, usually when he was sick or had suffered a nightmare.

This whole experience had been a nightmare for them both. For once, Spock banished all regrets, all thoughts of "if only" or "should have." He would live in this moment and encourage his father to live through this one to the next, then the next and so on.

They would see each other through these long, cold, lonely nights and days to come, together.

END


End file.
